Latin Name: Vanessa atalanta (Fruhstorfer, 1909)
Length: ~30 mm
Range: Throughout Alberta
Habitat: Various
Time of year seen: May to October
Caterpillar's Diet: Nettles
Other: The coloration of Red admiral caterpillars varies from black background with yellow/white speckles (photos 1 & 2) to white with black mottling (photo 3). Both color morphs have pale yellow lateral stripes. The preferred host plant is nettles - Urtica spp. (Bird, 1995). In Alberta they can be found on Stinging Nettle (Urtica urens & gracilis).
Location: Windy Point Trail, Kananaskis, AB
Date: Aug. 7, 2007
